When We Were Young
by forevordreamer
Summary: A summary of the friendship of Lily Evans and Severus Snape. The good times and the bad. How they came together and how they drifted apart.
1. Chapter 1

July 21st, 1968

Summer was nearing its final leg of the voyage towards autumn when two, unique friends happened to meet each other for the second time. Lilly Evans, a Muggleborn witch from a mostly cheerful household, and Severus Snape, a Half-blood wizard who wished nothing more than to escape his own household, were conversing casually in the shade of a wild oak that had to be around fifty years old.

'Severus,' Lilly started, 'why is Tuney so mean to me?' 'What did I ever do to her?'

'Tuney?' Severus asked. He had only spoken to the young witch once before and was still learning the particular names of those in Lilly's life.

'Oh, sorry, Severus.' 'I'm talking about my sister, Petunia.' Lilly explained apologetically.

The dark haired wizard instantly remembered the previous day when he had first talked to Lilly. The sisters, one magical, and the other a common Muggle, had been arguing quite noticeably in a playground not too far from the tree where he and his new companion now rested.

To Severus, it was beyond clear as to why Petunia, a Muggle, treated her sister in such a way; Lilly had been conjuring beautiful flowers in the palm of her hand, unknowingly reminding Petunia of the magic she would never have.

'Isn't it obvious?' He responded in as polite a manner he could muster. 'She's jealous because you're special and she's not.' Severus turned to the redheaded girl beside him and quickly realized his words hadn't been cleverly chosen.

'What do you mean Tuney's not special!' Lilly blurted angrily, her face almost as red as her hair. 'Everyone's special in their own way.' Severus didn't understand what had just happened, nor how to respond to Lilly's reaction. Before he could say anything, however, Lilly's expression changed dramatically.

Her face softened to reveal an entirely guilty look. Even a few stray tears wandered down her freckled cheeks. 'But it's not my fault I'm a freak…that I can do things…she can't.' As the little witch's crying progressed, her sobs became more and more muffled by the sounds of a stuffy nose and throat.

Severus did nothing for a moment but just stare in bewilderment at the scene before him. It was as if Lilly had completely turned her anger towards him and on herself, and now she was seeking reassurance for her guilt. He felt absolutely horrible that he had contributed even more to his new friend's grief, grief that a person like her didn't deserve to endure.

'Lilly,' the boy replied, 'I'm so sorry.' 'I…didn't mean…to make…you…cry.' He edged a bit closer to the crouching girl with her hands over her wet eyes and knees tucked beneath her chest.

'You don't need to apologize.' Lilly began after clearing her throat and roughly wiping her emerald green eyes. 'You didn't do anything wrong, Sev.' Severus never neglected her gaze, his pupils meeting hers. 'I'm the freak, and I'm the one that's to blame.' Upon hearing herself say this, Lilly continued to sob into her hands.

'No Lilly,' Severus reassured her. 'You're not a freak and you're not to blame for anything.' 'In fact,' he said as he conjured a precious lily flower from the grass and twiddled it delicately between his pale fingers, 'I think such a gift can be more beautiful than you think it to be ugly, but perhaps not as beautiful as one other thing.' 'Here,' the young wizard whispered gently as he offered the redheaded witch the flower.

Lilly had finally looked up from her own hands and snuffled lightly when she saw the gleaming white petals of the flower playfully brushing her shoulder. She smiled gratefully at her newfound friend, beaming with a happiness that wasn't there before. 'Thanks, Sev,' she chimed delicately after gingerly taking the little flower in her own tear stained palms. 'It's definitely the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen.'

Severus returned a warm, kind smile that didn't exactly suit his thin, deathly pale visage. He continued to watch Lilly softly play with the flower, in awe of her great curiosity and beauty. He thought deeply about what she had just said until he finally commented, 'Yes, that it is, Lil.'


	2. Chapter 2

August 1st, 1968

'Severus?' The sweet and gentle voice of an eight-year-old Lilly Evans disturbed the awkward silence that had been lingering on for moments on end. It was a relaxing Saturday afternoon with a serene, blue sky and chilling breeze that would gradually become colder as summer churned to fall.

Severus Snape and Lilly Evans happened to be resting in their usual spot beside the gnarled oak, far from the stressful reaches of their families. Everything was going well, with the two of them lying side by side, giggling at frivolous jokes meanwhile the occasional cumulus clouds drifted in and out of view. All had changed within a blink of the eye when Lilly cheerily asked, 'Hey, Sev, would you fancy having a cup of tea tomorrow, perhaps, at my house?'

Nothing but an uncomfortable silence ensued, leaving Severus wide-eyed and an anxious Lilly wondering if her friend even heard the invitation at all. 'Severus, are you alright?' 'Was it something I said?' Lilly leaned in towards the wizard beside her, who was now sitting up with an utterly surprised expression on his sallow face.

'Severus,' she repeated with a sense of growing agitation in her voice. Alas, Severus spoke but this time, he kept his troubled gaze facing down at the ground. He stammered as he spoke. 'Y-you're…i-inviting _me?'_

'Yes you,' answered Lilly. 'Who else would I be asking?' 'The grass, silly?' She couldn't quite comprehend as to why the boy acted so caught off-guard upon being invited somewhere.

Severus managed a tiny chuckle that Lilly immediately recognized to be fake. She narrowed her auburn eyebrows, as if asking him what was so funny. 'Honestly, Sev, you're acting a little strange and what in the world is so funny about having some tea with me?' The young wizard stopped forcing his artificial laughter, seeing upon the now insulted expression on his best friend's face.

'Oh, sorry..' he started. 'You might have misunderstood.'

'Clearly I have.' Lilly puffed, her arms crossed against her chest and her red mane of hair falling freely over her shoulders. 'So, do you want to come or not?'

'I'm not, er, sure.' Severus caught Lilly's eye at his last comment. The angry and hurt glare he was receiving definitely confirmed his own poor communication skills. 'I mean,' he began quickly, 'I wouldn't mind coming tomorrow, but I believe I have, er, plans.'

'Plans?' Lilly asked determinedly. Severus opened his mouth to elaborate on his refusal, but it seemed to be a rhetorical question. 'Alright, I see,' the young witch interrupted, beginning to get up off her knees. 'You're just coming up with excuses to not go. Jeez, you're no different than all the mean boys at school, too embarrassed to be seen with a girl!'

Severus jumped up to stop Lilly, but his attempts were in vain. Lilly was already stomping away in typical little girl fashion, her head held high in protest and her white sneakers turning green as they smashed against the wet grass. 'Lilly, that's not true!' He pleaded from behind her. 'Please, come back.'

Lilly wheeled herself around and for an absurd moment, Severus thought she was going to run back to him. However, all that came from her slight, pink lips was 'Wington Street, House Number 7. Just in case you changed your mind.' With these words, she turned on her heels and dashed away.


End file.
